A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

Chapter Four

By the time Jim and Lori came back with the minivan, everyone was ready to go. They stood at the kitchen window and watched while the large white minivan came down the driveway.

"I hope we go somewhere good," Michelle said.

"Is there a restaurant called Lori's Enchilada Emporium?" the Doctor asked her.

"No, but there should be," Brittany said.

The minivan pulled up beside Jim's truck and Lori got out while Jim sat in the driver's seat. She hurried up the brick steps and everyone hurried to meet her at the front door.

"Oh good, you're ready," Lori said, gasping when the Doctor opened the door. "Go ahead and get in the van and I'll make sure Rex has food and water for tonight."

She went past them and Rory shut the door when everyone was outside. They walked down to the van and opened the side door.

"Everyone ready for some fun?" Jim asked them as they climbed inside.

"Where we gonna go eat, Daddy?" Mandy said.

"Well, we decided we're gonna go to Indy and go eat at Bocca di Beppos and look at the Christmas decorations on the Circle and we'll drive through the country on the way back and look at the decorations there. That sound good?"

"Yes!" the children squealed.

The Doctor and River got in the back seat while Amy, Rory and Mandy sat in front of them and Brittany, Michelle and Tom sat in the seat behind Jim and Lori. Brittany closed the side door and Jim found a station playing Christmas music. He let the van idle while they waited for Lori.

"Bocca's is good," Brittany said. "It's an Italian restaurant in Downtown Indianapolis."

"They have good food and lots of it," Michelle added, looking over her shoulder.

"We decided on that because the portions are designed for two or more people so we can order several things and share," Jim said over his shoulder.

"Sounds wonderful," the Doctor said.

"We can show you a bit of downtown Indy while we're there," Jim said to them. "They're all lit up this time of year. We also wondered. Do you need to shop? Because we can stop at a mall if you need to."

"No, we're fine," the Doctor said. "We have all our gifts in the TARDIS."

"Okay, just checking," Jim said, nodding.

Lori hurried down the steps and made her way through the snow to the van. She got in on the passenger side.

"I told them our plans," Jim said to her while she closed the door and fastened her seatbelt. "They're cool with it. And they don't need to shop for anything."

"Good," Lori said. "Let's roll then."

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

After driving five miles, Jim drove onto Interstate 70 and headed to Indianapolis. The Doctor sat by the window, his arm around River's shoulders while they watched the traffic around them. River sighed and put her hand on the Doctor's chest while she snuggled close to him.

"How long ya been married?"

They looked at Michelle when they heard her ask the question.

"A couple of months," the Doctor said.

"Did you date for a long time?" Brittany said to them.

"Um, a bit," the Doctor said. "Not for years and years."

"We did," Amy said. "Rory and me, we grew up together."

"Did you pull on her hair?" Michelle said to Rory.

"Did I pull on her hair? No," Rory said.

"I know this boy at school that likes a girl and he pulls on her hair sometimes," Michelle said.

"Oh, no I never did that," Rory said. "I did do this sometimes."

The children laughed when Rory bopped Amy on the top of the head and put his hand back in his lap.

"And I would respond by doing this," Amy said.

The children laughed harder when she grabbed his nose and squeezed it while saying "Honk, honk!"

"I would never do anything like that to River," the Doctor said. "I did do this to her, however."

He put his finger in his mouth and ran the wet finger down her cheek while everyone laughed.

"I won't show you what I do to him, I'll wait until he's not ready and then strike," River said calmly.

"Ooo, that doesn't sound good," Brittany said.

"Bring it on, I'm not afraid of my wife!" the Doctor said while everyone laughed.

Rory looked down when Mandy tugged on his shirt.

"Hi, you're my boyfriend now," she said to him.

"I thought I was your brother," Rory said while Amy snickered.

"No, you're my boyfriend now. I need one and you can be it."

Everyone laughed while Rory stared at her.

"Um…I'm married to Amy," Rory said with a grin while he gestured to his wife.

"You're my boyfriend too!" Mandy squealed and put her hand on his.

Rory looked at Amy.

"Is this permissible?" he said to her.

"You're asking me if being a pedophile is permissible?" Amy said.

"Rory's my boyfriend, everyone!" Mandy yelled.

The Doctor sniggered while Rory blushed.

"You're not going to intervene?" Rory asked his wife.

"No, I think it's cute," Amy said.

"Gee, thanks," Rory said while everyone laughed.

He looked at Mandy who was looking at him with her hand on his. He grinned.

"Okay, I'll be your boyfriend if you sing Jingle Bells to me," he said to her.

Mandy was quiet for a moment and Rory thought she wasn't going to do it. Then suddenly, she shrieked out…

"JING BELLS, JING BELLS, JING ALL WAAAAY, JING, JING, JING, JING BELLS!"

Everyone laughed when she finished her off-key caterwauling and kissed Rory's cheek.

"You my boyfriend now," she said, putting her hand on his.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

For the rest of the trip, everyone was teasing Rory about his new girlfriend.

"So, when's the wedding, Rory? We'd love to come," the Doctor said.

"Are you sure that's legal, Dad?" Rive said. "She is four, you know. It might be a bit of a scandal when Jim walks her down the aisle."

"We'll invite reeeeeally close friends and family," Amy said.

"Look, the city!" Rory said, pointing to Indianapolis. "Look at it, everyone!"

"What sort of wedding gift do you get a four year old?" the Doctor said.

"Get her My Little Pony, she'll be happy with that," Brittany said.

"Hey, maybe they have bride and groom My Little Ponies then," Amy said.

"Look at the city! It's beautiful!" Rory said, pointing to downtown Indianapolis.

"I think Father is trying to change the subject so we stop talking about his illegal child bride," River said.

"Wow, we're going to Indianapolis, what does everyone think about that?" Rory said.

"Of course, we will have to have a bespoke wedding gown made for the bride," the Doctor said.

They laughed when Rory gave him a withering look and flipped him the vees.

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